Snelson Companies Responds to Surging Demand for Pipeline Integrity Services

Snelson Companies manages the upgrade and modernization of natural gas pipelines in a major metropolitan area in Southern California.

The need for pipeline integrity services has never been greater. Aging infrastructure and increasingly stringent regulations are driving operators to prioritize pipeline integrity management.

Pipeline operators rely on integrity management plans and programs to mitigate multifaceted threats. Left unmanaged, risks such as corrosion, metal loss, dents, leaks, pressure surge, and weather damage have the potential to impact delivery or trigger safety incidents.

New legislation and rulemaking have pipeline operators striving to stay current. For instance, the 2019 “Mega” rule passed by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) focuses on pipeline safety and integrity. It requires reconfirmation of the Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure (MAOP) for older pipelines, periodic assessment of pipelines in populated areas, and more.

Meanwhile, the relentless pursuit of pipeline safety and reliability is fueling innovations that are rendering old methods obsolete. While in the past strength testing lines was not mandated nor an industry norm, hydrostatic pressure testing is now commonly required to verify the structural integrity and strength of a pipeline.

Pipeline operators are calling on integrity services experts, including PLH Group’s Snelson Companies, to optimize safety, quality, reliability, and customer service while ensuring regulatory compliance.

Pipeline Upgrade and Modernization by Snelson Companies

With the passage of California’s Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 2011, all operators of natural gas pipelines in the state were directed to develop plans to enhance the safety of the natural gas transmission system.
Snelson Companies, a PLH Group company, has been responsible for managing the upgrade and modernization of natural gas pipelines in a major metropolitan area in Southern California, including replacing existing pipe and strength testing the new pipe.

Project details include installation of:

Six miles of 16” natural gas transmission line
One main line valve assembly
Three regulator stations
An accompanying fiber optics line

Safety features included in the upgrade are thicker steel, a warning mesh placed above the pipeline to prevent accidental excavations, automatic shut-off valves, and new fiber optic technology to detect ground disturbances that could impact pipeline integrity.

While working in a heavily populated, heavily trafficked area, keeping the public safe from the work area and the workforce safe from traffic is one of Snelson’s highest priorities. Crews have to work seamlessly with one another daily to accomplish the potholing, excavation, welding, coating and backfill activities within the time constraints on the roadway.

Snelson is proud to be a part of the integrity work that will allow providers to continue to safely serve their customers with natural gas.

Snelson is part of PLH Group, a leading provider of construction and maintenance services to the pipeline and electric power delivery industries in North America. Snelson joins other PLH Group companies – including Energy Services South, Southeast Directional Drilling, and Pipeworx – in focusing on pipeline integrity and infrastructure services. High-prioritized safety, proven expertise, and seamless collaboration distinguish PLH Group companies’ diversified infrastructure services from other service providers.

Learn more about the industry-leading work of PLH Group companies at www.plhgroupinc.com.